Machine tufting is used to manufacture carpet of many types. Tufting machines typically use a row of several hundred needles to insert row after row of tufts simultaneously into backing fabric, which is drawn continuously along a machine direction to form a basic uniform pile. The piles creating the basic pattern of the carpet along the machine direction can be in the form of cut pile, loop pile, cut loop pile, level cut loop pile, and others. Typically, pattern design elements of the basic carpet pattern repeat along the machine direction. Known tufting machines for manufacturing carpet are thus typically limited to producing a basic pattern along the machine direction, which limits the designs capable of production by known carpet manufacturing processes and equipment.
Thus it can be seen that needs exist for improved processes and equipment for manufacturing carpet. It is to the provision of improved processes and equipment for manufacturing carpet meeting these and other needs that the present invention is primarily directed.